Article carrier



April 6 E. L. ARNESON 3,084,831

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed May 26, 1960 2 sheets shet 1 IN V EN TOR. 22002 [.Qvzwozz April 9, 1963 E. L. ARNESON ARTICLE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1960 I IN V EN TQR. Fain/z Z Q'r/zaom BY rates atent ice 3,084,831 ARTEQLE (IARREER Edwin L. Arneson, Morris, iii, assignor to Federal Paper hoard Company, linc., Bogota, NE, a corporation of New York Fiied May 26, 1969, Ser. No. 31,957 6 Claims. (ill. 220-113) This invention relates to article carriers of the type which are formed from a single blank of foldable sheet material and designed to provide, when set up, a plurality of cells for articles, such as bottled beverages, with adequate provisions for supporting and separating the articles therein.

The general type of carrier here involved is illustrated in FIGURES 7 to 11 of Patent No. 2,537,615, dated January 9, 1951. Such a carrier is characterized by a bottom Wall, opposed pairs of upstanding, laterally spaced side walls, end walls connecting the vertical edges of the side walls and a longitudinal partition and handle structure extending in a vertical plane between the end walls and parallel to the side walls, with cross partition straps which are disposed in longitudinally spaced, vertical planes and are integrally hinged on vertical fold lines to the respective side Walls and to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, the latter dividing the compartments on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition and handle structure into a plurality of cells to receive therein the articles to be carried. The carrier is formed from a blank which is cut from a large sheet of fiberboard or paperboard stock previously imprinted on one side thereof with little waste in cutting. The blank is cut, creased and folded with partition forming portions being adhesively secured so as to provide a collapsed bottom panel, side wall panels foldably connected thereto and having a raised center section with inturned cross partition forming straps hinged to the ends thereof, paired end wall panels foldably connected to the side wall panels and joined in hinged relation by integral inturned center partition securing panels or flaps, with a multiple panel longitudinal partition and handle member formed by a pair of handle sections which are foldably connected at one end thereof to end extensions of adjacent center partition securing flaps and a handle facing flap fo-ldably connected tothe top edge of one of the handle sections and adhesively secured to the other handle section.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide in a carrier of the type described longitudinal and cross partition panels which extend in the areas below the cross partition forming straps so as to aiford full depth protection for' the articles positioned in the center cells on each side of the longitudinal partition.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a carrier of the type which is characterized by cross straps for dividing the carrier into a plurality of cells on opposite sides of a multiply longitudinal partition structure supplemental cross partition or divider panels which are'derived from certain of the ply forming panels of the longitudinal partition structure and which have integral portions extending on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition structure and connected to the cross divider straps so as to reinforce the longitudinal partition structure and prevent lateral separation of the plies thereof through lateral pull on the cross partition straps.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cellular article carrier which is characterized, when erected, by opposed pairs of vertically disposed side and end walls, a longitudinal partition and handle structure extending in a vertical plane between the end walls and parallel to the side walls, cross partition straps disposed in longitudinally spaced, vertical planes, and integrally hinged on vertical fold lines to the respective side walls and to the longitudinal partition and handle structure wherein pairs of supplemental cross partition forming panels are provided which are hinged to the longitudinal partition and handle structure on vertical fold lines substantially in vertical alignment with the fold lines connecting the cross partition straps to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, the supplemental cross partition forming panel-s of each pair thereof being integrally connected on a common fold line and extending in a transverse plane which coincides substantially with the plane of the corresponding pair of cross partition straps extending below the lower edges of the cross partition straps so as to provide article separating members in the areas below the cross partition straps.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an article carrier having a bottom wall, oppositely disposed side walls hinged to the side edges of the bottom wall, pairs of end walls hinged to the ends of the side walls, a multiply panel longitudinal partition and handle structure hinged at opposite ends to adjoining edges of the respective pairs of end walls and longitudinally spaced pairs of cross partition straps connected on vertical hinge lines to the side walls and the longitudinal partition and handle structure and extending on opposite sides of the latter in the set up position of the carrier wherein the longitudinal partition and handle structure comprises longitudinal partition panels extending in paired relation inwardly of each pair of end walls, with the one pair thereof having one of the panels terminating at the vertical hinge lines connecting the pair of cross partition straps adjacent that end of the carrier with the longitudinal partition and handle structure and having the other one of the panels extending to the vertical hinge lines connecting the pair of cross partition straps at the other end of the carrier with the longitudinal partition and handle structure, and wherein a pair of supplemental cross partition forming panels is hingedly connected to the inner edge of each of said longitudinal partition panels, the panels of each pair thereof being integrally connected to each other and being connected to the respective longitudinal partition panel on a common hinge line, the supplemental cross partition panels also having a connection with the cross partition straps whereby each pair of the supplemental panels extends in article separating relation beneath a pair of the straps and whereby each pair of supplemental panels reinforces the connection between the associated straps and the longitudinal partition structure and prevents lateral separation of the longitudinal partition panels due to outward pull on the cross partition straps.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in a carrier of the high center cell type, which is characterized by a multiple panel longitudinal partition structure, supplemental cross partition panels which are hinged to the inner edges of certain of the longitudinal partition panels and other supplemental cross partition panels which are cut from the longitudinal partition panels and hinged out of the plane thereof on common hinge lines.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the carrier which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an article carrier having embodied therein the principal features of the invention, the carrier being shown in set up, empty condition;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the inside face of the prepared blank from which the carrier is formed, the view showing glue applied to certain areas of the blank preliminary to executing the first folding operation;

FIGURE 6 is a plan View of'the blank shown in FiG- URE 5 following certain folding and gluing operations;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the partially folded blank following certain additional folding and gluing operations; and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the completed carrier in knocked down condition.

Referring to the drawings, the form of the carrier which is illustrated is fabricated from a paperboard blank 19 which is generally rectangular and which is cut and creased as shown in FIGURE 5. The blank 16 is divided into a bottom forming section 11 and two wall and partition forming sections 12 and 13, the latter extending on opposite sides of the bottom forming section 11. Since the wall and partition forming sections 12 and 13 are vary similar in character, section 12 will be described in detail and parts and relationships of section 13 which correspond to like parts and relationships of section 12 will be designated by corresponding reference numerals primed, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

The bottom forming section 11 is defined at the center thereof by parallel crease lines 14 and 14, which extend longitudinally or lengthwise of the blank 10. The crease lines 14 and 14 are equally spaced on opposite sides of a medial crease line 15 and constitute hinge connections between the bottom wall forming panel and the adjoining side wall and partition forming sections 12 and 13. Longitudinally spaced crease lines i6 and 17 extend at the corresponding ends of the crease lines 14 and 14' and define the end edges of the bottom wall panel. The bottom' forming section 11 is' divided by the medial crease line 15 into two equal halves which are adapted to fold upon each other in the collapsed condition of the carrier. The bottom wall panel defined by the crease lines 14, 14' and 16, 17 is subdivided by the medial crease line 15 into bottom wall forming panels l8 and 13' which are separated from the adioining wall and partition forming sections 12 and 13'by the crease lines 14 and 14, the latter forming in the erected carrier the bottom edge hinge lines between the bottom wall panels 18 and 18 and the side wall forming panels 20 and 241' in the wall and partition forming sections 12 and 13 of the blank.

In the side wall and partition forming section 12 of the blank, laterally spaced, longitudinally extending, parallel crease lines 21 and 22 define the end edges of the side wall forming panel Ztl and form vertical hinge connections with adjoining end wall forming panels 23 and 24, respectively, the latter extending at opposite ends of the side wall panel Ztl. Longitudinal partition panels 2 5 and Z5 adjoin the end wall panels 23 and 2s and are separated therefrom by transverse crease lines 27 and 28 which are parallel with and equally spaced from the crease lines 21 and 22, respectively. The longitudinal part" ion panel at the one end of the blank has a substantially greater dimension in the direction normal to the crease line 27 than the corresponding dimension of the longitudinal partition panel 26 at the other end of the blamk, the latter dimension being less than the corresponding dimension of the adjacent end wall panel 24. The end wall and longitudinal partition panels 24 and 2e are freed at their inner or bottom forming edges from the center section 11 of the blank on the cutting line 3%. The end wall and longitudinal partition panels 23 and Zs'at the other end of the blank are freed on the cutting line 31 from the bottom wall forming center section 11 of the blank, the irregular character of the line 31 being due to the nesting arrangement which is employed in cutting the blanks from larger sheets, as indicated by the dotted outline of the adjoining blank in FIGURE 5. The nesting permits the greatest economy in the use of the material andthe least waste thereof in cutting, the

4 blanks being taken from minimum size, rectangular sheets which are in turn derived from a web of minimum width.

The longitudinal partition panel 25 has a cross partition forming panel 32 on the outer end thereof which is divided therefrom by the hinge forming crease line 33, the latter being parallel with the crease line 27 and being spaced from the crease line 27 a distance equal to twice the distance between the crease lines 21 and 27. The panel 32 has a transverse dimension somewhat less than the corresponding dimension of the panel 25. Two additional cross partition forming panels 34 and 35 are cut out of the longitudinal partition panel 25. The innermost panel 34 is adapted to hinge on the transverse crease line 36 which extends parallel to the crease line 27 and is spaced therefrom a distance equal to the distance between the crease lines 21 and 27. The crease line 36 is in the transverse center of the panel 25 and terminates at its ends short of the top and bottom forming edges of the panel. The outermost panel 35 is cut in the same manner as the panel 34- and is adapted to hinge about the center section or portion 37 of the transverse crease line 33 which connects the panel 32 with the panel 25. The panels 34 and 35 are shaped as shown and have a maximum dimension in the transverse direction of the blank which is somewhat less than the corresponding dimension of the longitudinal partition panel 25 from which they are taken. They constitute flap-like panel members which may be swung out of the plane of the panel 25 about the hinge forming crease lines 36 and 33, and together with panel 32 are employed, when the carrier is set up, as supplemental cross partition forming panels cooperating with the cross partition forming straps hereinafter referred to.

In the side wall forming section 13 of the blank the longitudinal partition panel 25' has a dimension in the direction longitudinally of the blank which is less than the corresponding dimension of the panel 25 and is provided on the free end thereof with a panel 38 which is divided therefrom by a transversely extending crease line 40, the latter being parallel with the crease line 27' and being spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to the spacing between the crease lines 21 and 272' The panel 38 constitutes a supplemental cross partition forming panel which has a dimension transversely of the blank approximately the same as panel 32. A rectangular panel or tab member 41 is cut from the panel 25' adjacent the inner side of the transverse crease line which is adapted to hinge about the center portion 42 of the crease line 40.

The longitudinal partition panels 25 and 25 have hook formations 43 and 43' cut in the bottom forming edges 31 and 31' which project from these edges and which are aligned transversely so that when the carrier is assembled and set up, they may be engaged in interlocking relation in an elongate slot 44 provided in the bottom wall forming panels 18 and 18' to hold the carrier in set up condition while it is being filled.

The longitudinal partition panel 25 has an extended portion 45 at its outer edge which is cut free of the remainder of the blank in a manner which will be described and which is adapted to be trapped between panel elements of the handle'structure when the carrier is set up. The other longitudinal partition panel 26 at the other end of the blank has an extended portion 46 at its outer side which is also adapted to be trapped between the panel elements and the handle structure when the carrier is set up.

A center divider or longitudinal partition and handle forming section 47 extends outwardly in the direction of the side edge 48 of the blank from the side wall panel 20. This partition and handle forming section 47 is hingedly connected to the extended end portion 46 of the longitudinal partition panel 26 on an extension 5d of the transverse crease line 23 and lies largely in the area between the transverse crease lines 27 and 28 with the one end thereof extending a short distance beyond the crease line 27. The section 47 is freed from the end wall forming panels 23 and 24 by diagonal cutting lines 51 and 52 and from the side wall panel 20 by the longitudinal cutting line 53 which is parallel with the crease line 14 and which extends between outer hinge forming portions 54 and 55 of the crease lines 21 and 22, respectively. The crease line portions 54 and 55 form the inner hinges for relatively narrow cross partition forming straps 56 and 57 which are cut from the corners of the side wall panel 21 on the cutting lines 58 and 69, the latter extending from the inner ends of the diagonal cutting lines 51 and 52 in parallel relation with the end portions of the cutting line 53 and terminating short of the center of the side wall panel. Parallel transverse crease lines 61 and 62 extend between the spaced inner ends of the cutting lines 58 and 6t and the cutting line 53 to form the outer hinges for the cross partition straps 56 and 57 between the side walls 211 and the longitudinal partition and handle structure in the set up position of the carrier.

The longitudinal partition and handle forming section 47 is divided by a crease line 63 which extends transversely of the blank and which is aligned with the crease line 61, into an outer covering forming panel portion 64 and an inner handle reinforcing panel portion 65. The panel portions 64 and 65 have hand hole formations 66 and 67 cut therein, as shown, with the hand hole 66 being provided with an edge reinforcing flap 68 extending therein from a hinge forming crease line 69 along the top edge thereof. 1

A handle facing panel or cover flap '70 is separated from the outer handle forming panel 64 by a longitudinal crease line 71 which is parallel with the crease line 14 and is provided with a hand hole 72 having a hinged rein-forcing flap 73 extending from its inner edge. The hand hole 71 and flap 73 are located so as to match the hand hole 66 when this panel is folded inwardly about the crease line "71. The cover flap 70 is separated at one end thereof by a cutting slot 74 from the end portion 75 of the extension 46 on the longitudinal partition panel 26, the slot 74- being transversely aligned with the tnansverse hinge crease 50 and extending from the intersection of the latter with the longitudinal hinge crease '71. The flap forming end portion 75 of the longitudinal partition panel 26 is divided from the panel 26 by hinge crease 76 which is aligned with the hinge crease 71 and this flap or panel 75' is adapted to form a downwardly folded reinforcing panel at the end of the longitudinal partition and handle structure. The cover flap 71} is freed at its other end by transverse cutting slot. 77 from an extension panel portion or flap 78 of the handle reinforcing panel 65, the cutting slot 7 7 being in transverse alignment with the transverse crease line 63 and extending outwardly from the end of the 1011- gitudinal crease line '79 which divides the extension panel 78 from the panel 65 and which is in approximate longitudinal alignment with the crease line '71. The panel 76 is cut out at 31) to match the cut out hand hole 6 7 when this panel is folded about the crease line 79, these hand holes being located so as to be in alignment with the hand hole 66 and 72 when the inner panel 65 is folded about the crease line 63 and the handle facing panel 71 is folded about the crease line 71 in the assembly of the carrier. The handle inner or reinforcing panel 65' is freed at its outer end from the extension 45 on the longitudinal partition panel 25 by cutting on the line 81 with the latter being an extension of the top edge of the top cutting line for the hand hole 67.

At the opposite side edge of the blank the outer portion of the wall and partition forming section 13 is cut and creased to provide a relatively narrow, longitudinal partition strip or panel 64, 65 which corresponds to the innermost or bottommost portions of the handle forming panels 65 and 66 and which is divided by the crease line 63, the latter being aligned with the strap hinge forming crease line 61. In setting up the carrier, the strip portion 65' is folded about the score line 63' and trapped between the lower edges of the handle cover forming panels 64 and '70 so as to connect the cross partition forming straps 56' and 57' to the longitudinal center partition structure. The longitudinal partition panels 25 and 26 extend tothe side edge of the blank so that their top forming marginal portions are also trapped between the lower edges of the handle panels 64 and 70, along with the corresponding portions of the longitudinal partition panels 25 and 26.

Two bottom reinforcing panels or flap forming members 82 and 8 3 are cut from the bottom forming section 11 of the blank at the end of the bottom wall forming panels 18 and 18', being separated from the latter by the crease lines 16 and 17 which constitute the end edges of the bottom Wall of the carrier. The shorter reinforcing panel 82 extends in the area between the end wall panels 23 and 23', being separated therefrom by the cutting lines 31 and 31', the inner ends of which extend in converging relation to meet the ends of the longitudinal crease lines 14 and 14' and the transverse crease line 16 so as to free the panel 82 for folding about the crease line 16 into bottom reinforcing relation with the face of the bottom wall panel 18, 18. The reinforcing panel 82 is creased on parallel, laterally spaced, longitudinal lines 84 and 84', which are offset inwardly of the crease lines 14 and 14', to separate from the center portion of the panel side edge reinforcing flaps or flange formations 85 and 85' which flange formations are free to hinge about the crease lines 84 and 84, respectively, when the reinforcing panel 82 is folded inwardly onto the inner face of the bottom wall panels 18, 18' so as to form a reinforcing and strain relieving bridge across the hinge lines 14 and 14 on which the outermost edge of the bottle rests when the carrier is filled. The larger bottom end reinforcing panel or flap 83 at the other end of the bottom wall panel is formed in a similar manner in the area between the two end wall forming panels 24 and 24 and freed from the longitudinal partition panels 26 and 26' by the cutting lines 30 and 311' which have their inner ends directed inwardly to meet the ends of the longitudinal crease lines 14, 14' and the transverse crease line -17 so as to free the entire panel 83 for hi-nging movement about the transverse crease line 17. The reinforcing panel 83 is also provided at its side mrargins with parallel crease lines 86, 86 which are aligned with the crease lines 84, 84' in the panel 82 at the opposite end of the blank so as to provide hinged side edge reinforcing and strain relieving flanges 87 and 87'. The medial crease line 15 is extended through both of the bottom cushioning and reinforcing panels 82 and 83.

The blank 11 when cut and creased, is glued and folded to provide the carrier which is illustrated in FIG URE 1. In setting up the carrier, after glue has been applied to the blank portions shown in FIGURE 5, the longitudinal partition panels 26 and 26 are folded inwardly about the crease lines 23 and 28', the handle inner reinforcing panel 65, together with the cross strap 56, is folded inwardly about the crease lines 63 and 61 onto the outer handle panel 64 and the supplemental cross partition panels 32 and 38 are folded inwardly about the crease lines 33 and 41) onto the panels 25 and 25. The bottom reinforcing panels 82 and 83 are folded inwardly about the crease lines 16 and 17 onto the face of the bottom wall panels 18 and 18', and the cross partition strap 56 and panel portion 65' are folded inwardly about the hinge crease 61' and 63. This places the blank in the condition shown in FIGURE 6. Glue is then applied in the areas indicated in FIGURE 6 to the strap members 56, 56 and 57 and the handle inner reinforcing panel 65. Thereafter, the sections of the blank having the panels 25, 32 and 25, 38 are folded inwardly about the crease lines 27 and 27, thereby placing the blank in the condition shown in FIGURE 7. Glue is then applied as shown in FIGURE 7 to the panels 25, 35 and 41, and to the exposed surfaces of the handle forming panels 65 and '78 and the longitudinal partition panel 26. Glue is also applied to the end portion of th panel '35, as shown, after which the blank is folded about the medial crease line 15 and the handle facing panel 70 is folded about the crease line 71 to provide the completed carrier in flat knocked down or collapsed condition as shown in FIGURE 8.

When the carrier is set up, it assumes the position shown in FIGURES l to 4 with the supplemental cross partition panels 32 and 35 being hinged to the inner edge of the longitudinal partition panel 25 and extending in the plane of the cross partition straps 56 and 56, and with the top portions of the supplemental panels 32 and 35 being secured to the cross straps 57 and 57. The two supplemental panels 32 and 35 being integral serve to prevent lateral separation of the panels in the longitudinal partition structure when pull is exerted on the cross partition straps. At the other end of the carrier, the panel or tab 41 which is integral with the supplemental cross partition panel 38 is adhered to the face of the supplemental cross partition panel 34- and the two panels 38 and 34 have their top portions secured to the cross partition straps 56 and 56 and extend in the same transverse plane thereof. Any tendency of the longitudinal partition panels to separate laterally when a pull is exerted on the cross partition straps e and 56' is resisted by the integrally connected panels 41 and 33 while the supplemental cross partition panel 34 serves to separate the articles in the two adjacent cells on the one side of the longitudinal partition and the supplemental panel 38 serves to separate the articles in the adjoining cells at the other side of the longitudinal partition structure. The longitudinal partition panel 25 extends in the center plane between the two center cells which are on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition structure and serves to separate the articles in these cells. The supplemental cross partition panels 32, 35 and 34, 38 have a maximum width which is equal to at least one-half the width of the cells and hold the bottles in the cells out of contact with each other throughout substantially the entire height of the cells.

While particular materials and specific details of con struction have been referred to in describing the form of the carrier illustrated, it will be understood that other materials and other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A blank for a collapsible cellular article carrier comprising a generally rectangular sheet of paperboard or like material which is cut and scored to provide a rectangular bottom forming section and adjoining side wall and partition forming sections extending along opposite sides of said bottom forming section, each of said side Wall and partition forming sections being subdivided by parallel, spaced score lines to provide a side wall forming panel, adjoining end wall forming panels and longitudinal partition panels, said sid wall and partition forming sections having longitudinal partition reinforcing and handle forming panels and connecting cross strap formations cut therein at the outer edges of the side wall and end wall forming panels, one of the longitudinal partition forming panels of the one side wall and partition forming section of the blank being of the same width as the adjoining end wall forming panel and having an end extension forming a supplemental cross partition panel which is adapted to hinge about an end edge defining score line for said one longitudinal partition panel and which is integral with a second supplemental cross partition panel of smaller dimensions cut from said one longitudinal partition panel adjacent said end edge defining score line and adapted to hinge with said first mentioned supplemental cross partition panel out of the plane of said one longitudinal partition panel and adapted to be disposed in the plane of said first mentioned supplemental cross partition panel when the blank is folded and glued and the carrier is erected.

2. A blank for a collapsible cellular article carrier comprising a generally rectangular sheet of paperboard or like material which is cut and scored to provide a rectangular bottom forming section and adjoining side wall and partition forming sections extending along opposite sides of said bottom forming section, each or" said side wall and partition forming sections being subdivided by parallel, spaced score lines to provide a side wall forming panel, adjoining end wall forming panels and longitudinal partition panels, said side wall and partition forming sections having longitudinal partition reinforcing and handle forming panels and connecting cross strap formations cut therein at the outer edges of the side wall and end wall forming panels, one of the longitudinal partition forming panels of the one side wall and partition forming section of the blank being of the same width as the adjoining end wall forming panel and having an extension forming a supplemental cross partition panel which is adapted to hinge about an end edge defining score line and which is integral with a second supplemental cross partition panel of smaller dimensions cut from the longitudinal partition panel and adapted to hinge out of the plane thereof with said first mentioned supplemental cross partition panel and to be in the plane of said first mentioned supplemental cross partition panel whensthe blank is folded and glued and the carrier is erected, and one of the longitudinal partition forming panels of the opposite side wall and partition forming blank section having a width which is approximately twice the width of the adjoining end wall forming panel with two supplemental partition forming panels cut therein and adapted to hinge out of the pine thereof about parallel spaced score lines, the outermost score line defining the end edge of the longitudinal partition forming panel and the innermost score line being equally spaced from the end edge of said panel and the score line separating said longitudinal partition forming panel from the adjoining end wall forming panel, and an extension on said longitudinal partition panel forming a supplemental cross partition panel which is adapted to hinge about said end edge defining score line so that the two end supplemental cross partition panels hinge on a common hinge line defining the end edge of the longitudinal partition forming panel and are adapted to be in the same plane when the carrier is erected.

3. A cellular article carrier comprising a bottom wall, oppositely disposed panallel side walls hinged to the side edges of the bottom wall, pairs of end walls connected on corner forming hinge lines to the ends of the side walls, a longitudinal partition and handle structure hingedly connected at opposite ends to adjoining edges of the respective pairs of end walls, cross partition forming straps hingedly connected in paired relation on longitudinally spaced, vertical hinge lines to the side walls and to the longitudinal partition and handle structure andcooperating with the latter to divide the carrier into cells, said longitudinal partition and handle structure comprising longitudinal partition forming panels extending in paired relation inwardly of each pair of end walls, one pair of said longitudinal partition forming panels having one panel thereof terminating at the vertical hinge line on which one of the cross partition straps adjacent that end of the carrier is connected to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, the other one of said pair of longitudinal partition forming panels extending to the vertical hinge line on which a cross partition strap adjacent the other end of the carrier is connected to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, and cross partition forming panels hingedly connected intermediate their vertical side edges to the inner edges of each of said pair of longitudinal partition forming panels with integral portions extending in a transverse plane on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition and handle structure, which cross partition panels are connected to the pairs of cross partition straps adjacent the juncture of said cross partition straps with said longitudinal partition and handle structure so as to reinforce the hinge connection of said straps with said longitudinal partition and handle structure and prevent lateral separation of said longitudinal partition forming panels, and said cross partition forming panels extending from the partition straps to adjacent the bottom Wall and from the longitudinal partition and handle structure at least half the distance to the side walls so as to separate articles placed in adjoining cells.

4. A cellular bottle carrier comprising, when erected, opposed pairs of vertical side and end walls, a multiply longitudinal partition and handle structure extending in a vertical plane between the end walls and having end panel portions hinged to the end Walls, cross partition straps disposed in longitudinally spaced vertical planes and integrally hinged on vertical fold lines to the respective side walls and the longitudinal partition and handle structure, a pair of integral supplemental cross partition forming panel members hinged to the inner end of one of the plies of the longitudinal partition and handle structure and extending on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition and handle structure to which they are hinged and in the plane of a pair of the cross partition straps, said supplemental cross partition forming panel mem bers being connected at their upper ends to said pair of cross partition straps and providing an integral reinforcing strut member extending in overlapping relation with said pair of cross partition straps so as to prevent lateral separation of the plies in the longitudinal partition and handle structure at the hinged connection of said pair of cross partition straps thereof and also to form full depth bottle separators between the adjacent cells.

5. A cellular article carrier comprising a bottom wall, oppositely disposed parallel side walls hinged to the side edges of the bottom wall, pairs of end walls connected on corner forming hinge lines to the ends of the side walls, a longitudinal partition and handle structure hingedly connected at opposite ends to adjoining edges of the respective pairs of end walls, cross partition forming straps hingedly connected on longitudinally spaced, vertical hinge lines to the side walls and to the longitudinal partition and handle structure so as to divide the space on opposite sides of said longitudinal partition and handle structure into article receiving cells, said longitudinal partition and handle structure comprising longitudinal partition forming panels extending in paired relation inwardly of each pair of end walls, one of the panels of one pair thereof terminating at the vertical hinge line on which a cross partition strap adjacent that end of the carrier is connected to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, a cross partition forming panel hingedly connected to the inner edge of said one longitudinal partition forming panel and having a portion thereof extending on one side of said longitudinal partition and handle structure and connected to said cross partition strap at the juncture of said cross partition strap with said longitudinal partition and handle structure, the other one of said pair of longitudinal partition forming panels having a cross partition forming panel cut therefrom and hinged on a vertical hinge line which corresponds approximately with the vertical hinge line of a cross partition strap adjacent that end of the carrier and on the side of the longitudinal partition structure which is opposite said first mentioned cross partition forming panel, said last mentioned cross partition forming panel having an upper portion connected to the last mentioned cross partition strap at the juncture of said cross partition strap with said longitudinal partition and handle structure, said cross partition forming panels extending in a common plane, when the carrier is set up, with one of said last mentioned pair of longitudinal partition forming panels having a portion extending inwardly beyond the cross partition forming panels to form a longitudinal separator between the next adjacent pair of cells, and a reinforcing tab cut from the first mentioned one longitudinal partition forming panel and hinged on a vertical hinge line coinciding with the cross partition panel at the inner edge of said first mentioned one longitudinal partition panel and secured to the cross partition panel which is cut from the other one of said one pair of longitudinal partition forming panels.

6. A cellular article carrier comprising a bottom wall, oppositely disposed parallel side walls hinged to the side edges of the bottom wall, pairs of end walls connected on corner forming hinge lines to the ends of the side walls, a longitudinal partition and handle structure hingedly connected at opposite ends to adjoining edges of the respective pairs of end walls, cross partition forming straps hingedly connected in paired relation on longitudinally spaced, vertical hinge lines to the side walls and the longitudinal partition and handle structure, the straps of each pair thereof extending on opposite sides of said longitudinal partition and handle structure, said longitudinal partition and handle structure comprising longitudinal partition forming panels extending in paired relation inwardly of each pair of end walls, one pair of said longitudinal partition forming panels having one panel thereof terminating at the vertical hinge line on which one of the cross partition straps of the pair thereof which is adjacent that end of the carrier is connected to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, the other one of said pair of longitudinal partition forming panels extending to the vertical hinge line on which a cross partition strap of the pair thereof which is adjacent the other end of the carrier is connected to the longitudinal partition and handle structure, and a pair of supplemental cross partition forming panels hingedly connected to the inner edge of each of said longitudinal partition forming panels, the innermost pair of said supplemental cross partition forming panels having their upper marginal portions connected to the cross partition straps so as to reinforce the connection of said cross partition straps with said longitudinal partition and handle structure, said innermost pair of said supplemental cross partition panels being integral and extending in the approximate plane of the partition straps to adjacent the bottom wall and from the longitudinal partition and handle structure at least half the distance to the side Walls so as to cooperate with the cross partition straps in separating the articles placed in the adjoining cells and providing an integral reinforcing member extending on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition panel to which it is hinged and forming'a connecting strut extending between the straps of said pair of cross partition straps thereby preventing lateral separation of the plies in the longitudinal partition and handle structure at the hinged connection of said pair of cross partition straps therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,615 Arneson Jan. 9, 1951 2,598,920 Keith June 3, 1952 2,675,158 Ringler Apr. 13, 1954 2,688,421 Forrer Sept. 7, 1954 2,932,424 Arneson Apr. 12, 1960 

1. A BLANK FOR A COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR ARTICLE CARRIER COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SHEET OF PAPERBOARD OR LIKE MATERIAL WHICH IS CUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM FORMING SECTION AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL AND PARTITION FORMING SECTIONS EXTENDING ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM FORMING SECTION, EACH OF SAID SIDE WALL AND PARTITION FORMING SECTIONS BEING SUBDIVIDED BY PARALLEL, SPACED SCORE LINES TO PROVIDE A SIDE WALL FORMING PANEL, ADJOINING END WALL FORMING PANELS AND LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANELS, SAID SIDE WALL AND PARTITION FORMING SECTIONS HAVING LONGITUDINAL PARTITION REINFORCING AND HANDLE FORMING PANELS AND CONNECTING CROSS STRAP FORMATIONS CUT THEREIN AT THE OUTER EDGES OF THE SIDE WALL AND END WALL FORMING PANELS, ONE OF THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION FORMING PANELS OF THE ONE SIDE WALL AND PARTITION FORMING SECTION OF THE BLANK BEING OF THE SAME WIDTH AS THE ADJOINING END WALL FORMING PANEL AND HAVING AN END EXTENSION FORMING A SUPPLEMENTAL CROSS PARTITION PANEL WHICH IS ADAPTED TO HINGE ABOUT AN END EDGE DEFINING SCORE LINE FOR SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANEL AND WHICH IS INTEGRAL WITH A SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL CROSS PARTITION PANEL OF SMALLER DIMENSIONS CUT FROM SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANEL ADJACENT SAID END EDGE DEFINING SCORE LINE AND ADAPTED TO HINGE WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED SUPPLEMENTAL CROSS PARTITION PANEL OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANEL AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN THE PLANE OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED SUPPLEMENTAL CROSS PARTITION PANEL WHEN THE BLANK IS FOLDED AND GLUED AND THE CARRIER IS ERECTED. 